2014 BMW 1-series Gran Turismo Spy Photos

And then there were three: BMW preps a little sibling for the 5-series Gran Turismo.

BMW seems to be pushing the reset button across its lineup, with a new styling language, downsized and turbocharged engines, front-wheel drive, and a push toward electrification all taking their places in the brand’s portfolio. What does it mean for the cars we love? The 2014 BMW 1-series Gran Turismo spied here is a glimpse of the future in Munich: A compact, five-door hatchback whose proportions resemble those of the now-defunct Smart ForFour or the Mercedes-Benz B-class more than anything that has ever worn a BMW roundel.

This car is part of the strategy outlined by BMW’s Chairman of the Board, Norbert Reithofer, at the 2010 Geneva auto show when he said, “We will be extending the BMW and Mini brands into the small-car segment with new models and variants. . . For these new vehicles we could envisage developing a common architecture for both front- and four-wheel drive.”

Not FAST, but Definitely Fast

What our spy photographers have caught here has been called the FAST (Family Activity Sports Tourer), a designation that blatantly plagiarizes Mercedes-Benz's "Sports Tourer" label for its B-class and R-class. That will not be what BMW calls this vehicle in production. As it will complement the 1-series, we suspect it will be called the 1-series Gran Turismo, just as the Bavarians call their high-roof mid-size weirdness the 5-series GT. This body style seems to be a permanent part of BMW’s future plan, as a 3-series Gran Turismo also is in the works.

The next 1-series lineup will include a three-door hatchback, this GT, and maybe a five-door hatchback as well—although it is possible that the GT could fill the five-door role on its own. All will have standard front-wheel drive with all-wheel drive on the options list. (The successors of the current 1-series coupe and convertible will be called 2-series and remain on a rear-drive platform shared with the 3-series.) Power will come from turbocharged, direct-injected three- and four-cylinder engines producing anywhere from 75 hp to more than 200.

The 1-series GT will spearhead BMW's move toward front-wheel drive, and it will likely be shown in late 2013 for a 2014 launch in Europe. It is not yet clear whether or not the 1-series will be available in America, although the 2-series will be sold here. We doubt BMW aficionados in the U.S. would fall all over themselves rushing to buy this GT, given its awkward, minivan-like proportions. Eventually, though, front-drive BMWs will be common everywhere. BMW has hinted that it aims to reach an even production split between front-wheel-drive vehicles, including Mini, and rear-drivers. It will have to start somewhere, and this is it.

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*AccuPayment estimates payments under various scenarios for budgeting and informational purposes only. AccuPayment does not state credit or lease terms that are available from a creditor or lessor, and AccuPayment is not an offer or promotion of a credit or lease transaction.